Tomomi Arai

Triggering of high-speed neurite outgrowth using an optical microheater.

Optical microheating is a powerful non-invasive method for manipulating biological functions such as gene expression, muscle contraction, and cell excitation. Here, we demonstrate its potential usage for regulating neurite outgrowth. We found that optical microheating with a water-absorbable 1,455-nm laser beam triggers directional and explosive neurite outgrowth and branching in rat hippocampal neurons. The focused laser beam under a microscope rapidly increases the local temperature from 36 °C to 41 °C (stabilized within 2 s), resulting in the elongation of neurites by more than 10 μm within 1 min. This high-speed, persistent elongation of neurites was suppressed by inhibitors of both microtubule and actin polymerization, indicating that the thermosensitive dynamics of these cytoskeletons play crucial roles in this heat-induced neurite outgrowth. Furthermore, we showed that microheating induced the regrowth of injured neurites and the interconnection of neurites. These results demonstrate the efficacy of optical microheating methods for the construction of arbitrary neural networks.

Directional Bleb Formation in Spherical Cells under Temperature Gradient

Living cells sense absolute temperature and temporal changes in temperature using biological thermosensors such as ion channels. Here, we reveal, to our knowledge, a novel mechanism of sensing spatial temperature gradients within single cells. Spherical mitotic cells form directional membrane extensions (polar blebs) under sharp temperature gradients (≥∼0.065°C μm(-1); 1.3°C temperature difference within a cell), which are created by local heating with a focused 1455-nm laser beam under an optical microscope. On the other hand, multiple nondirectional blebs are formed under gradual temperature gradients or uniform heating. During heating, the distribution of actomyosin complexes becomes inhomogeneous due to a break in the symmetry of its contractile force, highlighting the role of the actomyosin complex as a sensor of local temperature gradients.